How to store Snuff?

Unfortunately, Snuff cannot be stored very long. As all tobacco products, the material gets dry and loses its taste. To keep your Snuff or Schmalzler fresh anyway, you should keep it where it is: 1. dry 2. dark 3. cool Some month of storage should be no problem. It depends on packaging and how long the Snuff was stored at the retailer, of course. Snuff should be aired once in a while to avoid a mouldy taste. This applies to Schmalzler also. If you are uncertain about the condition, just try it. If it feels too dry or develops a strange taste, throw it away. Furthermore, you should only carry a one-day amount in your pocket, to prevent the snuff from losing moist caused by not tight snuff boxes and body heat. John Arlott mentions the use of slightly salty water, “distributed by stirring, turning and, at need, sieving” to enliven older Snuff. (The Snuff Shop, John Arlott, p. 28) I have not tested this method yet, but it may be worth trying.

I keep my snuff in the freezer! I heard this doesn’t work, because the freezing process would split some of the moist from the rest of the snuff. After that it wouldn’t be usable anymore. Had you never have experienced something like this?

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Sound good then. I will try it myself with some of my snuffs. Good hint by the way.

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Most important when you keep snuff in a freezer is that you keep it in an air tight container. So you prevent the sublimation of ice to the freezerbody. Microorganisms (moulds) will not develop under these conditions. When you keep snuff in small portions that is something to bear in mind to. In an air tight container you prevent desiccation. When temperatures are high and when there is little salt and enough moisture in the snuff microorganisms can grow. Jaap Bes.

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I’m forever rehydrating snuff! I would like to know which method you use for that. Slightly salted water, or just water?

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@ junior: Welcome to the forum! I heard using a humidor may be too moist for some snuffs, developing an ugly taste. Did you ever had problems like that? If not, a humidor sounds like a great solution to me.

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By the way thanks to the creator of this site is deffinatley great to find a site and group of such great people who have a passion for nasal snuff as i do. You’re welcome. :slight_smile:

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I use some vacuum jars to keep my pipes tobaccos…maybe this is a good way to preserve snuff taste and freshness…??? Pedro Macias (Spain)

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Vacuum is fine, right. Especially to keep the moist and scent.

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Hello Roderick, are you a snuff producer?..in this case, what type of snuffs you have? Thanks in advance, Pedro

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Thanks very much indeed Roderick…I will visit you now…at this moment…I am a lover of English Snuffs…they are the best!!!

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OK, I just visited your site. Congratulations !!!..within your next six next types, may we found unscented (plain) snuffs ?..or with no menthol or peppermint?..thanks again. Pedro

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I do not heard about any Spanish snuff producer, but I will ask to a snuff fellow I know, and then I will tell you. Pedro

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Some input from a chemistry geek. This is mostly speculation, as I’m new to snuff. However, I’ve been smoking and ageing cigars for years now. Snuff is an interesting hybrid of problems in terms of storage. First, it’s a tobacco product, and so as indicated by Roderick, maintaining the moisture content is very important. Keeping it in a humidor may well work, so too would keeping it in an airtight container, as long as the snuff filled at MINIMUM 80% of the container and was not opened too often. The second problem is that snuff contains added aromatics, such as citrus, floral, etc. Many (if not most) aromatic compounds are horribly prone to oxidation. That is to say that they react with oxygen and are broken down. So I would imagine that it is entirely possible to have a snuff kept at the right moisture level and still have it go horribly stale rather quickly, if the snuff did not fill enough of the container (thus allowing a large amount of oxygen into the container) Roderick and others could expand on this, to agree or disagree. As I said, this is my speculation based on general knowledge of aromatic compounds, but practical experience always reigns supreme. To store snuff you have to keep moisture levels constant, but I would imagine keeping oxygen out would be equally important. If your moisture was right, the snuff would still “feel” right. But the aromatic intensity of your sought-after flavours would likely diminish significantly if you do not also keep oxygen out. Airtight mason jars, glass jars, etc. would likely work best. The goal being that you ensure that the snuff always almost completely fills the container. If you have no choice but to partly fill a container, I would highly recomend jetting in some inert gas such as CO2 or N2 (nitrogen). These are available commercially, mostly centered around wine storage, as products such as “Private Preserve”. You give a little shot of gas into your container, and seal it quickly. It is then full of inert gas, and little if any oxygen. The cans are cheap, and last hundreds of uses. Let me know what you guys think. No, I don’t get kickbacks from private preserve, and yes, it is likely that there is a cheaper and equally convenient source of nitrogen or CO2 gas. Just not sure what it might be.

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like to recomend snuff store have placed two orders both arrived in first class condition and in a couple of day after i ordered ronnie

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I’ve kept Tom Buck for 3 and a half years, and it’s still perfect. French Carotte for 2 years - also still perfectly fresh. I always keep my snuff in sealed plastic containers in the refridgerator.

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I’m not convinced there is any point at all in humidors and refrigeration for snuff. I have several snuffs that are around 30 years old that are still in perfect condition simply because they are in airtight containers. My storage method is just to use the airtight cannisters that half pound measures of Wilson’s come in. I’ve just used the last of some IHT 22 that I’ve had for several years that was literally as fresh as when I bought it. I can’t help thinking that this stuff about freezing and keeping in humidors is just a snuffing urban myth.

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I’m inclined to agree. I don’t put snuff in the fridge at all. I just use a variety of ziplock bags and airtight containers which are kept in drawers and a cupboard on a north facing wall. The temperature in there stays pretty stable and never gets very warm. The snuff keeps just fine. I think temperature stability counts for a lot. Of course Pieter will want a south facing wall for such an arrangement :wink:

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Question: would it be better for snuff to be store in a food saver bag?like the ones use to store food?that would keep the air from drying ou the snuff, right? and if this was the case does snuff needs to be store in the refrigerator or can it be still store dark cool place?

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You can really store them into anything that seals. Like ziplocs, food saver bags, tightvac jars, canning/mason or kilner jars, tupperware, water bottle, thermos, ammo cans etc. And dark cool storage is fine.

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